Reaction time exercise · ~75 sec a run · free
Go / No-Go
Respond to every letter except X.
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Go / no-go tasks measure both speed and self-control: you must respond quickly to most cues but hold back for the rare one. Letters flash up one at a time; respond to every letter except X.
About this test
About this test
What this test measures
This measures reaction speed paired with response inhibition: acting fast on go signals while holding back on no-go signals. The hard part is the brakes, stopping a response you have already started to make.
How to improve your score
- Treat withholding as the priority, a wrong press usually costs more than a slightly slow correct one.
- Keep a steady rhythm so a no-go does not catch you mid-commit.
- If you false-start, reset cleanly rather than carrying frustration into the next trial.
Good to know
Good to know
Check, then respond
Read the letter before pressing, even though the pace is fast. A false alarm on X lowers your balanced accuracy just as much as a missed go letter, so let the check drive the press rather than the other way round. The confirmation takes only a fraction of a second, and a small speed cost per trial is far cheaper than a string of inhibition errors.What balanced accuracy measures
Your score averages how often you correctly respond on go letters and correctly hold back on X. Scoring well on both sides means you have speed and control together, not just one. In selection, inhibition under pressure matters as much as raw reaction speed, because an expected action sometimes has to be stopped before it causes an error.
Frequently asked questions
Why include a no-go cue?
Why include a no-go cue?
Reacting fast is only half the skill. The no-go trials test inhibition, the ability to stop a planned response, which matters when an expected action suddenly becomes wrong.
How is it scored?
How is it scored?
By balanced accuracy: the average of how often you correctly respond to go letters and correctly withhold on X. That stops you scoring well by pressing for everything.
What is a good response time?
What is a good response time?
Go responses are usually a little slower than pure simple reaction because you must first check the letter is not X.
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